“Lightbulb,” “Brothers” To Bookend Cleveland Fest

"Lightbulb," "Brothers" To Bookend Cleveland Fest

The 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) will run March 19-29, 2009, featuring more than 140 feature films and 170 shorts from over 60 countries. It was announced that the fest will open with Jeff Balsmeyer’s “Lightbulb,” starring Dallas Roberts and Jeremy Renner, and close with Rian Johnson’s “The Brothers Bloom,” starring Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel Weisz. The festival will also present two filmmakers with their “someone to watch” award. Both Ramin Bahrani’s (“Chop Shop,” “Goodbye Solo,” and “Man Push Cart”) and Gerardo Naranjo’s (“Drama/Mex” and “I’m Gonna Explode”) work will be highlighted.

CIFF will present three feature film competitions with cash prizes: Central and Eastern European Film Competition ($10,000 prize), Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Film Competition ($5,000 prize), and Nesnadny + Schwartz Documentary Film Competition ($5,000 prize).